News Headlines
[Mainland
China] PBOC to guide funds toward green-edged ESG investments
China
Daily, 27 Jul 2021
China's
central bank officials said they will accord priority to ESG-themed investments
henceforth and see the national carbon trading mechanism as key to implementing
the country's green and low-carbon development strategy, thus encouraging
injection of long-term social funds into the huge market. Chen Yulu, a deputy
governor of the PBOC, urged participants in the asset management sector to
actively promote ESG investing and accelerate business innovation to support
development of green and low-carbon industries. Asset management institutions
in China should firmly abide by the new development pattern and become leaders
in ESG investment, he added. By the end of the first half of this year, total
assets under management of various types of financial institutions in China
reached 92 trillion yuan, equivalent to 25 percent of on-balance-sheet assets,
Chen said.
Full
text: click here
[Singapore]
Reply to Parliamentary Question on Data Security When Singapore Companies List
Overseas
MAS
News, 27 Jul 2021
Senior
Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam replied to a parliamentary question that Singapore-based
companies do not need to seek prior approval to list overseas. Companies that
choose to list overseas decide on the data to transfer overseas to meet listing
and ongoing disclosure requirements in the foreign jurisdiction. Additionally, Companies
that transfer personal data overseas must comply with Singapore’ data
protection laws. For instance, Singapore companies are subject to the Personal
Data Protection Act, which governs the collection, use and disclosure of
personal data.
Full
text: click here
[Singapore]
MAS Lifts Dividend Restrictions on Local Banks and Finance Companies
MAS
News, 28 Jul 2021
The
MAS announced that dividend restrictions on locally-incorporated banks and
finance companies headquartered in Singapore will not be extended. But as
downside risks remain, Local Banks and Finance Companies should exercise
continued prudence in their discretionary distributions, whilst prioritising
support to customers.
Full
text: click here
[Hong
Kong] SFC to usher in new ID rules for trading
The
Standard, 29 Jul 2021
The
SFC will implement real-name registration system for securities trading early
next year, according to a local media report. The reports said the SFC is
finalizing the details of the consultation, which ended in March, and will
offer a reasonable grace period for brokers to upgrade their systems and obtain
permission of investors to collect their information. Currently, the SFC can
only seek information from brokers about investors if suspicious trading
activity is detected. Under the new regime, brokers will submit individual
clients' identification information to a secured data repository.
Full
text: click here
Articles/ Publications
The
2021 Capital Markets Fact Book
SIFMA,
28 Jul 2021
The
SIFMA Capital Markets Fact Book is an annual reference containing comprehensive
data on the capital markets, investor participation, savings and investment,
and securities industry.
Full
text: click here
Hong
Kong’s Exchange Fund recovers as markets rebound
Asia
Asset Management News, 29 Jul 2021
Hong
Kong’s Exchange Fund reported an investment income of HK$102.7 billion in the
first half of 2021, recovering from a HK$10.6 billion loss in the same period
last year as global financial markets bounced back from the coronavirus crisis.
Full
text: click here
